When my oldest daughter first started soccer, I had no clue of what the soccer must haves were. I had simple expectations for what we needed for games and practices. When our first game day rolled around, it was clear we were rookies. By the end of the season I made sure we were total pros, packing everything below that we need for a successful soccer season. Check out our list of soccer must haves that we never leave home without.
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A Place To Sit/Lay
Chairs – The first absolute of my soccer must haves! We really like the Coleman camping chairs. They are perfect for sitting on the sidelines watching the game. They are reasonably priced at $24, and they are durable.
Picnic type blanket with a waterproof side – This is for the kids to play around on while they “watch” their siblings game. If the grass is a bit wet, it won’t matter because it has a waterproof side so you will stay dry sitting or laying on it. I have this blanket that we bought on Amazon and it’s perfect. It’s only $14 and it comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns, and folds up into it’s own bag for easy on-the-go access.
Things To Keep The Hanger Away
Water/Drinks – Another essential of the soccer must haves. Make sure to pack enough for the whole family, and extra for any teammates or parents that may have forgotten. We usually go to Sam’s Club and buy big cases of water, Gatorade and other drinks for game days and practices.
Snacks – Another of the essential soccer must haves! Pack lots of snacks! We pack different things like fruit, goldfish, muffins, crackers, granola bars or chips. On long days we will pack sandwiches to bring with us. This keeps you from having to spend $ at the snack bar to feed those hungry mouths!
Storing All The Soccer Things
Travel Cooler – If you bring snacks & drinks, you need something portable to put them in. We keep our drinks cool in a travel size cooler that we just pack up each weekend and keep in our car for game days. Check out this awesome cooler from Amazon – it has wheels and is made for all-terrain so you can take it anywhere, even the beach!
Sports Bag – Okay, so this one seems like a no-brainer. I needed an easy way to corral all the crap, er, stuff these kids need for their practices and games. My daughters picked out an Adidas bag at Shoe Carnival and this is what we use to corral all the must have items that they need to be game-ready. Extra shin guards, socks, ball, change of clothes, goalie jersey etc. all tuck away nicely in this bag. I couldn’t link the exact one we got from Shoe Carnival, but this bag from Amazon is almost identical.
Game Day Needs
Soccer balls and a soccer ball pump – We always keep our soccer balls in the car so we have them ready to go for games and practices. Just in case, we also keep our pump right in the car as well. We got this kit from Amazon which is great because it comes with a little pouch for portability and for $7 it has various needles and accessories for all different needs.
Health Necessities
First Aid Kit – Injuries happen. So just in case, I got this first aid kit from Johnson & Johnson which contains everything you need for bumps, scrapes and bruises. It contains an instant cold pack, but I stocked up on more from the Dollar Tree and put them in a small container. The instant cold packs have come in super handy when someone falls or gets hit by the ball. My daughter is a goalie and has been kicked and hit many times – and these cold packs were saviors. The kit has everything you need for under $20!
Wipes/Hand Sanitizer– I always kept baby wipes in the soccer field because well, those kids get dirty! Now more than ever we always have hand sanitizer in the soccer bags to have on hand to keep everyone safe and healthy.
Bug Spray – Those little buggers are out in numbers especially after it rains. I keep this Ranger Ready bug spray in my daughter’s soccer bag and spray everyone down before we head onto the field. It’s DEET free and does an amazing job keeping the bugs away.
Comfort Necessities for the Soccer Fields
A towel – Trust me, if it’s raining and you have to go and sit on bleachers, you’ll want a towel to dry off the seats so you don’t look like you just peed your pants. Also, this will help your child dry off after playing in the rain or when they’re just plain sweaty.
An Umbrella – For rainy or sunny days too – helps keep you dry or cool, whatever the whether. I always keep an umbrella in my car just in case anyway, but it’s always convenient for the fields!
Sunglasses – Because sun. If you have light eyes like me, you don’t want to be squinting the entire game or practice. I always keep an extra pair of shades in my car.
Extra Clothing: Including Warm Blankets, Jackets, Coats, Gloves and Beanies – I don’t know about where you live, but where we live the weather can be unpredictable with all 4 seasons in one day. I also keep extra socks, shin guards, and cleats in my daughters bag. We were at a tournament and one of our players forgot their shin guards. Luckily since I packed an extra set, she was able to play. It’s always better to be prepared for anything.
Soccer Slides – My daughters can’t wait to take off their cleats once practice or a game is over. They keep their slides in their bags and put them on after they are done.
Post Soccer Practice/Game Necessities
Programmable Slow Cooker – We love our Hamilton Beach programmable slow cooker for quick and delicious dinners on nights when practices run late. As a full-time working mom, my slow cooker is my sanity saver to ensure that I have a healthy and delicious meal on the table and am not constantly stopping at the drive thru or ordering pizza. Follow me on Pinterest for great dinner ideas using the slow cooker! You can also check out this post for more tips on getting dinner on the table fast during busy weeknights.
Here’s to a fantastic soccer season! Let me know in the comments if you have any soccer must haves for your family.
